Toy cradles and driving mechanisms therefor



Sept. 5, 1961 D. SAINT TOY CRADLES AND DRIVING MECHANISMS THEREFOR FiledJune 16, 1958 2 sheets-sheet 1 www @u Nm.

KN uw QN N SSP- 5, 1951 D. SAINT 2,998,612

TOY CRADLES AND DRIVING MEcHANIsMs THEREFOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June16, 1958 INEM-ro rake? cfa/ww www# ATTORNEY United States Patent i2,998,612 TOY CRADLES AND YDRIVING MECHANISMS 'THEREFOR David Saint,Rockledge, Pa., assignor to 'Graco Metal Products, Inc., HuntingdonValley, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed June 16, `1958, Ser.No. 742,272 .3 Claims. (Cl. 109) This invention relates to top cradlesand driving mechanisms therefor.

vIt is the principal object of the present invention to provide a toycradle yand operating mechanism therefor which is relatively simple inAconstruction and reliable in its operation.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a simple buteffective motor actuation for cradles and the like.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a motoractuating mechanism for oscillatory devices having an improved characterof escapement.

yIt is a further object of the present invention to provide a Itoycradle in which the major components can be made of molded syntheticplastic and of sheet metal stampings.

Other objects and advantageous features of the present invention will beapparent from the description and claims.

The nature and characteristic features of Ithe invention will Abe morereadily `understood from the following description, taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings forming part thereof, in which:

FIGURE 1 yis a side elevational View of a cradle in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 1A is a'fragmentary vertical sectional view taken approximately onthe line 1A-1A of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is la fragmentary end elevational view, enlarged, of the cradleshown in FIG. 1, and wvith parts broken away to show the actuatingmechanism;

FIG. 3'is a fragmentary horizontal sectional View taken approximately onthe line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a lfragmentary vertical sectional view taken lapproximately onthe line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a-fragmentary view of Ia portion of the actuating mechanismshown in FIG. 2 in another operating position;

FIG. 6 is a'transverse sectional View taken approximately on theline'6-6 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken approximately on the line7-7- of FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is la fragmentary sectional view taken approximately on the line8-8 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary end elevational view similar to FIG. 2 showing amodified form of the invention; and

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view, similar to FIG. 3,-and of the construction -shown in FIG. 9.

It should, -zof course, 'be understood that the description and drawingshereinv are illustrative merely, and that various modifications andchanges can be made in the structure disclosed without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, a cradle receptacle Cisvprovided which includes a bottom Wall 15, inclined end walls 16, andside walls 17, preferably formed as a `single piece of molded syntheticplastic material. The bottom wall has integrally formed: 0n thelowerface thereof a pair of spaced ribs 18, closed at one end by an endWall 19 with a recess 20 therein, for purposes to be explained. Thebottom wall 15 also has formed thereon,.extending downwardly from the`side 2,998,612 Patented Sept. 5, 1961 ICC walls 17, spaced pairs oflugs21 with bearing notches 22 formed on the innerportions thereof.

In order to support the cradle C in an elevated position for movement,legs 25 are provided, preferably formed of pieces of wire, bent to aninverted U-shape with central horizontal port-ions 25a engaged in thenotches v22 in the lugs 21 and outwardly inclined end portions 25b.

A closure plate 26 is provided, having a horizontal wall portions 27closing the opening between the ribs 18 with an upstanding end 28 havinga recess 29gfor facing relation With respect to the recess 20 :and anupwardly extendingend plate 30 for the purposes to be explained. Theclosure plate 26 is secured in position in any desired manner such as bya suitable adhesive applied along the meeting portions of the ribs 18and the wall portion 27.

An outer housing 31 is provided, secured to one of the end walls16and'has an opening 32 through which a crank rod 33 extends. The rod 33is journalled in the meeting recesses 20 and 29 at its inner end.

The crank rod 33 lhas an outer -end actuating portion 35 for manualturning for winding, as hereinafter eX- plained. The rod 33 has aratchet wheel 36 secured thereto for rotation therewith. Mounted on therod 33, for free pivotal movement thereon, a ratchet frame 37 isprovided having side wall portions 37a and 37b connected bya connectingportion 37C. The side Wall portions 37a and 37b, at the upper ends, areprovided with aligned openings 38 for the reception of pivots 39 formedon a ratchet 40 for pivotally mounting the same. The ratchet 40 has atongue portion 41 for engagement-with one of lthe'teeth of theratchetwheel 36 for receiving the counterclockwise impulse, 'as seen in FIGS.`2and 5, from the ratchet wheel '36. The ratchet 40 also has anactuating-portion v42. for swinging the ratchet 40 to retract the tongueportion 41 under certain conditions.

A shaft 45 is provided, mounted in one of the end walls 16 and carriedby the housing 31, on which a pawl 46 is pivotally mounted, the pawl461having a tongue portion 47 `for engagement with `one of the teeth ofthe ratchet wheel 36 for-restraining the counterclockwise movement,asseen in FIG. 2,-of the ratchet wheel 36, under certain conditions ofoperation.

The-endV wall 16 which carries the shaft 45 isalsoprovided with astop.48 for `limiting the swinging movement ofthe pawl 46.

The ratchet 40, in offset relation to the pivots 39, has one end Aof aspring 49 Aconnected thereto. end of the spring 49-is connectedto the'pawl 46 in offset relation to the pivotal mounting on the shaft 45 forswinging the pawl 46 to tooth engaging and disengag'ing positions;

'Ille-spring 49 has a pair of helical .portions 49a and 49b withv acontinuous connecting part 49C therebetweenl which provides a'hingeaction Yintermediate the ends of the spring 49 permitting the spring 49to buckle rather than becrushed under compression. The spring 49 is vrod 56 heingrigidly connected to the horizontal portion 25a of one ofthelegs 25 by spot welding `or in any other desired-manner.

The .crank rod 33 has a helical power spring 57 connected theretofattheinner end thereof through an Aopening in the Yrod 33, the other endof the spring 57 being The other in engagement in an opening 58 in theend wall 16. A split collar 59 is provided, mounted on the rod 33, andfor engagement by the spring 57 upon winding thereof, and has endportions 59a extending into and in engagement with the ratchet wheel 36for turning therewith.

The leg portions 25b on the opposite sides and atone end of the cradlereceptacle C have extending therebe tween a resilient or spring rod 60which has its ends extending downwardly within collars 61 and withthelower ends turned outwardly, feet 62 of rubber or the like beingprovided in engagement with and in covering relation to the lower endsof the leg portions 25 and the spring rod 60. The leg portions 25 at theopposite end of the cradle receptacle C are also provided with feet 62of rubber or the like.

In order to provide a limit stop and thus control the extent of swingingmovement of the legs 25 with respect to the cradle receptacle C, a frame63 is provided of substantially C-shape in vertical cross section andbeing relatively closely fitting with respect to the leg portions 25band the spring rod 60 at the lower portion thereof, as illustrated inFIG. 7, and having a sidewise extending slot 64 provided for a swingingmovement at the upper parts thereof, as illustrated in FIG. 6.

In the form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, the ratchetframe 37 has an oppositely extending bracket 65 ofrset as at 66, andhaving an oppositely extending wall section 67 provided with a slot 68Ifor the reception of an actuating rod 56a similar to the rod 56 andrigidly connected at its outer end to the opposite horizontal portion25a of the other leg 25.

In this form of the invention the spring rod 60 is not employed, but inplace thereof a leaf spring 160 is rigidly connected at one end of theratchet frame 37, as by spot welding to a tongue 37d carried thereby,The spring 160 extends over and is rigidly connected at its other endtothe horizontal portion 25a of the legV 25, as by spot welding, andperforms the same function as the spring rod 60.

The mode of operation will now be explained.

The crank arm 35 is turned in a direction to wind the power spring 57,the ratchet tongue 41 and pawl tongueY 47 and their interconnectionproviding an escapement and preventing the undesired unwinding of thepower spring 57. The spring force of the power spring 57 acting on theshaft 33 starts the unwinding movement of the shaft 33.

Assuming rst that the ratchet frame 37 is in the position shown in FIG.2 and is moving counterclockwise, the pawl tongue l47 is in engagementwith one of the teeth of the ratchet wheel 36 and the ratchet tongue 41passes above several teeth, raised from engagement by the tension ofspring 49 while the spring 49 tends to hold the tongue 47 in engagement.

Upon reaching the lowermost part of its oscillatory path the ratchetframe 37 will now move in a clockwise direction and as it does so theratchet tongue engages the tooth to the right of that previously engagedon the` ratchet wheel 36. The condition of the spring 49 has changedfrom a condition of tension to a condition of no stress and then changedto a compressed condition. As the spring 49` is brought to a conditionof compression and after the hinging action occurs, the pawl 46 is movedto a position to release the tongue 47. The ratchet frame 37 nowreverses its movement towards that initially referred to and as shown inFIG. 2, with the pawl tongue 47 brought to a position of engagement withthe tooth to the right of that previously engaged on the the ratchetwheel 36, the tongue 41 passing as before above the ratchet wheel teeth.

The ratchet tongue 41 and the pawl tongue 47 thus successively engageand disengage the teeth of the r-atchetA wheel 36. The spring 49 tendsalternately topull the ratchet tongue 41 and the pawl tongue 47 intopositions for engagement and disengagement as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and5. The oscillating movement of the ratchet frame4 stressed and bowedbetween its ends. The total extent of movement of the legs 25 is limitedby their engagement in Athe ends of the recesses 64 in the frame 63. Aresilient or spring action is provided by the spring rod 60 tending tourge the legs 25 toward their neutral positions, but overrunning theneutral position first on one side and then on the other.

In the form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, the leafspring 160 acts in a similar manner to the spring rod 60, but the forcethereof is applied at a diierent location with respect to the legs 25.

I claim:

l. A cradle comprising a receptacle having opposite sides and ends, legmembers pivotally mounted longitudinally with respect to said receptacleon horizontal pivots on the lower part of said receptacle and extendingdownwardly with respect to said receptacle in supporting relationthereto, the leg members at opposite sides being in4 downwardlydiverging relation, the lower ends of the leg members providing fulcrumsfor engagement with a supporting surface, a power source, an escapementconnected to said power source and to one of said leg members, and aresilient member transversely of said receptacle and connected to thelower ends of leg members at opposite` sides of said receptacle andapplying a restoring force thereto, said resilient member being a rodand having end portions extending downwardly along the lower ends of apair of leg members below one end of said re. ceptacle, and collarsengaging said end portions and 1 said lower ends.

2. A cradle comprising a receptacle having opposite sides and ends, legmembers pivotally mounted longitudinally with respect to said receptacleon horizontal pivots on the lower part of said receptacle and extendingdownwardly with respect to said receptacle in supporting relationthereto, the leg members at opposite sides being in downwardly divergingrelation, the lower ends of the leg members providing fulcrums forengagement with a supporting surface, a power source, an escapementconnected to said power source and to one of said leg members, yand aresilient member transversely of said receptacle and connected to thelower ends of leg members at opposite sides of said receptacle andapplying a restoring force thereto, said resilient member being a rodand having end portions extending downwardly along the lower ends of apair of leg members below one end of said receptacle, and collarsengaging said end portions and said lower ends, the lower ends of theleg members' having feet thereon in enclosing relation to said collarsand rod end portions.

3. A cradle comprising a receptacle having opposite sides and ends, legmembers pivotally mounted longtudinally with respect to said receptacleon horizontal pivots on the lower part of said receptacle and extendingdownwardly with respect to said receptacle in supporting relationthereto,V the leg members lat opposite sides being in downwardlydiverging relation, the lower ends of the leg members providing fulcrumsfor engagement with a supporting surface, a power source, an escapementconnected to said power source and to one of said legi members, and aresilient member transversely of said receptacle and connected to thelower ends of leg members at opposite sides of said receptacle andapplying a restoring force thereto, said resilient member being a rodand having end portionsextending downwardly along 1 the lower ends of apair of leg members below one end l ber.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS VanDervort June 10, 1873 Kindermann Mar. 30, 1875 G Gazzam Oct. 26', 1875Adams Jan. 1, 1878 Keating Feb. 27, 1883 Cobleigh Dec. 24, 1889 SinclairJuly 4, 1899 Spady Nov. 4, 1924 Carlson July 10, 1951 Magidson July 19,1955 Hoven et 'al Dee. 23, 1958

